Transport chiefs are exploring the possibility of introducing new parking fees at a series of Metro stations in both North and South Tyneside.

The seven stations understood to be proposed for possible new parking charges are Cullercoats, Monkseaton, Shiremoor, Whitley Bay, East Boldon, Fellgate, and Hebburn.

Concerns have already been aired about drivers deciding to park on neighbouring residential streets instead, after the prospect of a daily charge of up to £1.80 at Hebburn, Fellgate and East Boldon stations emerged at community forum meetings last month.

While it had been suggested that the fees could be introduced on April 1, when new Metro ticket prices come into force, operator Nexus has confirmed that will not be the case.

The possibility remains under review, however, as Nexus seeks ways to boost its income and close a budget gap that currently leaves it needing to spend around £18 million of its cash reserves by 2029 to balance the books.

Nexus commercial director Helen Mathews said: “We are currently in the process of reviewing the car parking provision on the Tyne and Wear Metro. No final decision has been made yet on what changes we might make and we will be liaising with our local authority partners on this. Further information will be provided in due course.”

A petition with nearly 700 names opposed to the East Boldon plans was presented this week to Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon, who holds the transport portfolio in the North East Combined Authority, by the prospective Labour election candidates for Cleadon and East Boldon – John Temple and Tina Roche.

Dr Temple said: “Residents in East Boldon already suffer from inconsiderate parking by drivers who use the Metro station and park in the nearby streets. The introduction of parking charges will only make matters worse.” 

Ms Roche added: “When people are struggling with the cost of living, adding another £400 a year to someone’s expenses is outrageous. Furthermore, the imposition of charges for parking at Metro stations will only serve to discourage the use of public transport.”

Under the new Metro fares package agreed by council leaders this month, the daily cost of leaving your vehicle at the park and ride sites at Callerton Parkway, Bank Foot, Regent Centre, Four Lane Ends, Northumberland Park and Stadium of Light stations will rise from £1.50 to £1.80 per day from April 1.

But no new charges at stations where parking is currently free were part of the budget plans signed off by the North East Combined Authority.

BANGKOK (AP) — The Supreme Court’s ruling against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs has countries like China and South Korea watching for Washington’s next steps, while financial markets took the news in stride.

The decision announced Friday could potentially disrupt arrangements worked out in trade negotiations since Trump announced sweeping tariffs on dozens of countries in April 2025.

China’s Commerce Ministry said it was conducting a “comprehensive assessment of ” the ruling against the tariffs Trump imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA.

“China urges the United States to lift the unilateral tariffs imposed on trading partners,” an unnamed ministry spokesman said in a statement.

The statement reiterated Beijing’s stance that there are no winners in a trade war and that the measures Trump had announced “not only violate international economic and trade rules but also contravene domestic laws of the United States, and are not in the interests of any party,” the official Xinhua News Agency cited the spokesperson as saying.

Trump responded to the Supreme Court decision by proposing a new 10% global tariff under an alternative law, Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, and later increased it to 15%.

For China and some other countries in Asia that were subject to higher import duties on their exports, that could potentially bring some relief. But for others such as Japan, the United Kingdom and other U.S. allies, tariffs could rise.

The U.S. plans to stand by its trade deals and expects its partners to do the same, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a CBS News interview Sunday.

“The deals were not premised on whether or not the emergency tariff litigation would rise or fall,” said Greer, Trump’s top trade negotiator. “I haven’t heard anyone yet come to me and say the deal’s off. They want to see how this plays out.”

Uncertainty may worsen if the Trump administration continues imposing new tariffs under alternative laws, South Korea’s trade minister, Kim Jung-kwan, said Monday.

The South Koreans have agreed to hold “amicable” discussions with U.S. officials in order to minimize any negative impact on South Korean companies, he said. Major South Korean exports such as autos and steel are subject to tariffs under other trade laws.

“Given the uncertainty over future U.S. tariff measures, the public and private sectors must work together to strengthen our companies’ export competitiveness and diversify their markets,” Kim said.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said Sunday that he believed trading partners would abide by existing deals and that tariff revenues will remain steady.

“Tariff revenues will be unchanged this year and will be unchanged in the future,” Bessent said in a Fox News interview, pointing to the new 15% global tariffs Trump has said he wants as a replacement.

The administration would defer to the courts on whether to give companies refunds for the import taxes already collected under the tariffs now declared unlawful, Bessent said.

“It’s out of our hands and we will follow the court’s orders,” he said.

U.S. futures sank early Monday, with the contract for the S&P 500 down 0.6% and that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 0.5%. Oil prices fell and the U.S. dollar weakened against the Japanese yen and the euro.

But share prices in Asia mostly advanced, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gaining 2.4%.

___

Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed.

Feeling tired and sluggish on long flights is a common problem for many people – we asked medical experts to explain the main causes and share prevention tips

Long-haul flights often seem like the ideal chance to tackle that mounting inbox or finally get through that book you’ve been meaning to read. Yet for many passengers, these productive intentions quickly fade as lethargy sets in.

To understand what causes this airborne fatigue, we consulted experts who’ve identified the main culprits behind why air travel leaves us feeling bloated and drained. They’ve also offered practical advice on how to combat these effects.

Throws your regular schedule off balance

“When we are out of our usual routines on a flight, it disrupts what our bodies are used to,” explains Dr Asimah Hanif, NHS GP and medical expert working with travel insurance provider Staysure. “For example, you might not be used to eating so early in the morning when they serve breakfast on a plane, and you might be served something that you don’t usually eat, like an omelette.

“So, the impact of both of those elements combined – eating things that you’re not used to and eating after the time frame that you usually would eat – can disrupt digestion and contribute to sluggishness.”

Dr Mark Austin, gastroenterology specialist at Nuffield Health in Haywards Heath, concurs, noting: “If you’re flying at funny times of the day, that can have an impact on your physiological state, and can release stress hormones and make you feel less hungry, bloated and uncomfortable.”

Lack of proper rest “Many of us struggle to get good quality sleep on a plane, and sleep deprivation has a huge impact on your digestion and how you feel,” explains Dr Austin.

Environment

“When you’re flying at altitude, the air cabin pressure will change and you’ll also get lower oxygen levels, which in turn could affect your digestion and your energy levels,” notes Dr Hanif. “In addition, the cabin air is conditioned, but it’s also quite dry, so people will often notice that their skin becomes dry and might feel dehydrated, which can also contribute to fatigue.”

Alcohol

“We have to be careful about drinking while flying at altitude, as the effects of alcohol can be heightened and have a very negative impact on you,” warns Dr Austin. “We often see people on the news who suddenly become uncontrollable, irrational or difficult to manage when they have been drinking on a plane.

“Alcohol causes dehydration, sleep disturbances and can also have a significant impact on the muscles at the lower end of the gullet, so it can increase your risk of things like reflux.

“Plus, it’s a calorie load and that large volume of sugar can cause changes in your blood sugar levels, which can influence how your body is reacting to these situations.”

Coffee

“When you’re travelling over time zones, your body can become incredibly confused about what time of day or night it is, and if you taking caffeine, which is a stimulant, that can become very difficult and can actually prolong the impact of jet lag,” explains Dr Austin.

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In-flight meals

“Airline meals often contain a high level of salt and I’ve been told that this is because your taste is altered at altitude, so the airlines often compensate for that by adding in more salt to make it taste nice,” notes Dr Hanif. “However, as a result, that can cause water retention and processing issues.”

In-flight cuisine also tends to be carbohydrate-heavy

“The food is usually ultra-processed and often involves things like pasta, rice and bread,” observes Dr Austin. “They often don’t attain much fibre, but do have quite a lot of fat for taste and satiety. These types of foods fill you up and make feel you sleepy.”

Lack of movement

“Sitting down for long periods reduces your general circulation, slows your metabolism and can impact general nutrient absorption,” emphasises Dr Hanif.

Dr Austin continues: “People that are prone to slow gut transit and constipation need to get up and walk around, and if you’re not doing that for long periods of time, plus all the other factors that we’ve already mentioned, you’ve got a significant risk of problems with regards to slow gut transit and gas production. So, you might find that you get a lot of wind.”

Insufficient hydration

“Aeroplanes do run with very low humidity, so you’ve got a huge risk rate related to things like dehydration,” explains Dr Austin. “Dehydration can trigger a stress response where your body is trying to divert blood away from the organs that it doesn’t necessarily think are super important, which often includes your gut. This will cause problems related to digestion, gut transit, bloating and problems with regards to constipation.”

How to avoid feeling lethargic on your next flight

Steer clear of stimulants

“The sensible thing would be to avoid triggers like alcohol, coffee or caffeine, before and during a flight,” suggests Dr Austin.

Skip heavy meals

“Choose a meal that is lighter and is more balanced, rather than a really starchy, carb-heavy meal, ” advises Dr Hanif. “Opting for a meal that contains protein and vegetables instead will have less of an impact on your body.”

Graze instead

“If you don’t feel very hungry, you’d probably be better off snacking rather than eating lots of large meals,” notes Dr Austin. “Take some fruit, nuts and seeds onboard with you.”

Keep yourself hydrated

“Try to have a glass of water, or half a bottle of water, every hour,” suggests Dr Austin.

Stretch your legs

“Get up and walk around the cabin every two to three hours,” advises Dr Austin. “Movement can help dissipate some of the gas if you’re getting some bloating symptoms, and it can help things transit through the gut more easily too.”

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For many parents, teaching children about the basics of saving money starts early. A Monzo for Under 16s account offers a way to move beyond having a piggy bank full of old coins, and encourages your children to let their savings work for them.

The Monzo current account for under 16s is a purpose-built banking product for children aged from six to 15, offering interest-earning savings with tools that are built to make saving money engaging and enjoyable for children.

Savings for Under 16s offers 2.75 per cent AER, with interest calculated daily and paid monthly. This is an account where children earn interest on their savings.

To help children understand and enjoy the power of putting their money into savings, Monzo has created the savings sidekick, an in-app character that celebrates and reacts to their pennies, pounds and progress. Kids can set a goal and Monzo will celebrate their success when they get there, helping them build that saving muscle.

Looking for parental peace of mind? You can see your child’s spending in your own Monzo app, schedule pocket money deposits into their account, set limits and controls for how their money is used. These features enable children to gain financial independence safely, while you still have full visibility.

Children get their own neon Monzo card, just like adults, and their app can be used to create custom savings pots – perfect for putting money towards future purchases, and building saving habits. As with other Monzo products, the Under 16s card can be frozen if lost with just three taps of the app, and can be unfrozen again if found, or replaced quickly. Under 16s can use their card abroad with no fees, and a payment link can be shared with a tap, enabling friends and family to easily send money straight into your child’s account.

Apply for a Monzo for Under 16s account today

You’ll need a Monzo account of your own to open a for Under 16s account, so now is a great time to get started. A free account, Monzo lets you organise your life into Pots and earn 2.75 per cent AER (variable) on instant access savings. The Monzo app has useful spending insights, plus fee-free spending anywhere in any currency. There are also instant notifications telling you how much you’ve spent and where, plus the ability to sort payments and build a clear view of what you’re spending on.

Skip the awkward ‘pay-me-back’ texts with secure payment requests, where the Monzo app lets you send payment reminders to friends who owe you money. You can also create Running Splits for group spending, where the total spend – and precisely what everyone owes each other – is updated instantly after every purchase.

Monzo helps put modern banking into the pockets of both you and your children, with savings pots, instant notifications, fee-free spending anywhere with any currency, and earning interest on savings held in eligible accounts. Help them save for tomorrow in an enjoyable and engaging way today, with a free Monzo current account for under 16s.

Apply for a Monzo for Under 16s account today

Ts&Cs: Ages six to 15. UK residents. Parent/guardian account needed. Interest paid monthly. £10,000 maximum in savings per child. Terms and conditions apply.

Dani Dyer opens up about her dad Danny’s past rehab stint on their new show together The Dyers’ Caravan Park

Dani Dyer discusses the emotional letter she sent to her dad Danny Dyer during his past time in rehab on their new show The Dyers’ Caravan Park.

The Sky show sees Danny, 48, who loves a caravan park, attempt to save the great British holiday by reviving Priory Hill in Leysdown, Kent.

Danny, who has fond memories of his caravan holidays in the 1980s, is investing his money, time and hard work to bring back the spirit of the classic family holiday alongside daughter Dani, 29.

The father and daughter have a very close bond, having worked together on other projects such as True Love or True Lies, their hit podcast Sorted with the Dyers and travel show Absolutely Dyer: Danny and Dani do Italy.

Opening up during the show, Dani speaks about her close bond with dad Danny, where she reflects on his past time in rehab.

At the time, Danny was on EastEnders playing Mick Carter, a role he played from 2013 to 2022, he headed to rehab in Cape Town in 2016 after he was “slowly killing himself” by being “off his head”.

Danny previously told the BBC receiving a letter from his daughter Dani while at a rehab facility in 2016 was what convinced him to continue his treatment.

The father-of-three, who first met wife Jo Mas when they were both 14, managed to turn his life around with the help of rehab, therapy and meditation.

Talking about her dad’s journey on The Dyers’ Caravan Park, Dani says: “You know when your brain just doesn’t want to remember things? Like, it just blocks it out?

“He [dad Danny] went to rehab a couple of times. I remember the first time, I didn’t really remember the first time that he went and I wrote him a letter.

“I still to this day, I can’t remember what I wrote. You know, like when everything was such a bubble and everything was just so intense at the time.

“I knew he’d gone, but I knew that there was a reason. Like, if he hadn’t gone away, like, God knows where he’d be now.”

Talking about their close bond, Dani made an emotional death admission about her famous dad: “When he goes, I’ll have to stuff him, because I’ll need him in my garden forever. He can never leave me. He has to outlive us all.”

The Dyers’ Caravan Park launches 24 February on Sky and NOW.

**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website**

Coronation Street, and, by extension, UK acting royalty Beverley Callard has continued to update fans on her journey as she bravely battles breast cancer.

Having returned home a day later than anticipated due to ‘minor complications’ with the surgery to remove lymph nodes, the actress behind Weatherfield matriarch Liz McDonald took to Instagram to talk about her experience, thanking the NHS staff that cared for her during her hospital stay and detailing the emotions she felt after the procedure.

‘I’m home. I was supposed to come home yesterday, but they decided to keep me in overnight. Minor complications,’ she began the video.

‘So I have been home for a couple of hours. I looked very pale, the nurses were calling me pale and passionate. I don’t know about passionate, but I am very pale,’ she joked.

‘I’m feeling okay. I had a bit of a cry as you do, but I am okay. Emotions are all over the place, you know which is you know… anyway, I won’t rant on about that. The staff at Norfolk And Norwich Hospital were truly amazing.’

Displaying a bag on her shoulder, Beverley explained the significance: ‘And wait for this, who needs Louis Vuitton? Josh, one of the nurses, his nan makes these to keep the drain bottle in, I won’t go any further than that.’

Beverley had earlier shared a video prior to the operation, discussing her thoughts and feelings as she waited in hospital.

‘Update for anyone else who is about to go through it. I’m at the hospital, it’s the big day, which I’m glad about. I’m ready, I’m strong, I feel fine.

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‘There’s a few other ladies here with me, we’ve had a chat. They’ve been in and drawn all over me and then I have to go for an injection in an hour. I’m feeling OK.

‘Sometimes, you get these self-indulgent feelings and vanity but I’m not alone.

‘This other lady said she’s the same. I keep thinking, will I be lopsided? What will I wear? But I’m really good, I’m really strong and I’ll let you know how it goes.’

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A day after her return home, Beverley shared another video: ‘I just want to say I have got thousands and thousands of wonderful messages from you, all of you, and every single one is just beautiful and kind and loving and lots of your stories which I so appreciate,’ she began.

‘People who have been through this, people who are going through this, because there are many, many people going through it, and it’s good to know you’re not alone and that other people have the same fears that you’ve got.

‘Because sometimes you think, is it superficial that I’m worried what I look like or whatever? But no, we all seem to be worried about the same things, so that’s wonderful.

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She then provided viewers with a further update on how she’s currently feeling: ‘I thought I’d give you a bit better update because yesterday I think maybe I was a little incoherent!

‘The first night, Friday, which was the day of the operation, I must say I was in great pain Friday night and I didn’t sleep at all, but today, first of all, I slept for 12 hours last night, which is unheard of for me!

‘So I had a really good sleep and I’m not in pain today at all. I’ve not taken any morphine today because I don’t react to it that well, it does make me feel a bit sick, but to be honest, I’ve not needed it.

‘Rather than being in pain, I’m more sore and I can cope with that, that’s fine. I’m black and blue and purple, which is not attractive, but I’m doing really well and I just wanted everybody to know that.

‘I have emotional moments but honestly I’m doing well I think mentally and physically I’m doing well and I will be in touch tomorrow.’

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Beverley first revealed that she’d been diagnosed with cancer on RTÉ’s The Late Late Show, explained that she’d received the news ‘literally 15 to 20 minutes before’ she filmed her first scene for her new role in Irish soap Fair City.

Beverley will undergo radiotherapy following her operation, though she did detail that doctors caught her cancer in very early stages.

‘I’d had some tests just before I left the UK. I was in my dressing room at Fair City, getting ready to go on, and I was quite nervous and thinking, ‘I hope everybody thinks I’m all right, and my consultant rang me and said, ‘You’ve got to come back to the UK.’ I said, ‘Well I can’t possibly, I’ve just taken a new job, I’m away for a month’.’

‘I was diagnosed with breast cancer. But I’m fine. I’m absolutely fine. My head was a bit mashed for the first few days. It’s very early stages, and I’m along with, thousands of other women as well.’

MORE: Bradley Riches brilliantly explains Lewis’ trait that Emmerdale fans dubbed ‘annoying’

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But ask anyone from the North East and North Yorkshire, and they’ll tell you: Saltburn-by-the-Sea has always had something special.

Now, as more Brits turn their backs on overcrowded southern hotspots in favour of quieter, characterful breaks, this Victorian seaside town on the North Yorkshire coast is enjoying a well-deserved moment in the spotlight.

Saltburn cliff lift (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

Saltburn lies 12 miles south-east of Hartlepool and just five miles from Redcar, perched along the Cleveland Way long-distance footpath.

What began as a tiny fishing hamlet known as Old Saltburn, once associated with smugglers and 17th-century inns, was reshaped in the 19th century after ironstone was discovered in the Cleveland Hills.

Railway pioneer Henry Pease famously imagined “a town arising on the cliff” during a coastal walk in 1858.

The result was a carefully planned Victorian resort, complete with grid-pattern streets, sea views and the distinctive “Jewel Streets”.

Saltburn (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

One of Saltburn’s biggest draws is its Grade II*-listed pier, the only pleasure pier on the North East and Yorkshire coast.

“It’s like stepping back in time,” wrote one TripAdvisor reviewer.

“The pier is beautifully restored, and the views along the coastline are simply breathtaking.”

Another visitor described it as “peaceful, nostalgic and far less commercial than other seaside towns, exactly what we were looking for.”

Just above the pier sits one of the town’s most charming features: the Saltburn Cliff Lift.

Walkers on Saltburn beach (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

Opened in the 19th century, it remains one of the oldest water-powered funiculars in the world. The short ride from town to the seafront is an attraction in itself.

“It might only last a few minutes, but it’s worth every penny,” one online review reads. “The kids loved it and so did we.”

The coastline is known nationally for its surf, with competitions held during the autumn and winter months.

On TripAdvisor, beachgoers frequently praise its scale and cleanliness.

One reviewer called it “one of the best beaches in the North, huge, clean and never feels overcrowded”.

Another added: “We came expecting a quick stop and stayed all day.”

The town’s friendly surf school and independent cafés give it a laid-back, creative feel that appeals particularly to younger travellers and families.

Saltburn’s recent Airbnb recognition forms part of a wider shift in UK travel habits.

Research suggests that while 90 per cent of Brits have holidayed in the South over the past five years, only 39 per cent have ventured North.

That imbalance is beginning to change. More travellers say they are actively seeking destinations they haven’t seen all over social media.

In that sense, Saltburn feels perfectly placed.

It offers the pier, the cliff lift, the jewel-coloured beach huts, without the heavy crowds of more famous resorts.

Saltburn railway station connects the town directly to Middlesbrough and Darlington, with onward links across the region.

Meanwhile, annual events such as the Saltburn Festival of Folk Music, the Custom Classic Car Show, and even the Yorkshire Day Duck Race add to its community feel.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine four years ago launched Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II, causing immense suffering for civilians and harrowing ordeals for soldiers while rewriting the post-Cold War security order.

The fighting enters its fifth year on Tuesday, and it shows no signs of stopping any time soon.

The U.S. has brokered talks with delegations from Moscow and Kyiv as part of the Trump administration’s yearlong push for peace. But reconciling key differences, such as the future of Russian-occupied Ukrainian land and postwar security for Ukraine, has thwarted progress.

Meanwhile, thousands of each countries’ troops have died on the battlefield, and Ukrainian civilians have been battered by Russian aerial strikes that have brought years of power outages and water cuts.

Here’s a look at the conflict, by the numbers, since the full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.

1.8 million

The upper end of the estimated number of soldiers killed, wounded or missing on both sides, according to a report last month by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank.

It estimated that Russia suffered 1.2 million casualties, including up to 325,000 troop deaths, between February 2022 and December 2025 — what it said was the largest number of troop deaths for any major power in any conflict since World War II.

Russia has not released figures on battlefield deaths since January 2023, when it said more than 80 soldiers were killed in a Ukrainian strike, bringing the total military deaths Moscow has confirmed to just over 6,000.

CSIS estimated that Ukraine has seen 500,000 to 600,000 military casualties, including up to 140,000 deaths.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier this month that 55,000 Ukrainian troops have died in the war. Many are missing, he said.

Neither Moscow nor Kyiv gives timely data on military losses. Independent verification is not possible.

14,999

The U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission’s count for civilian deaths in Ukraine since Russia’s all-out invasion, though it says that is likely an underestimate. More than 40,600 civilians were injured over the same period, it said in a December report.

The war has killed at least 763 children, according to the U.N.

Last year was the deadliest for civilians in Ukraine since 2022. The conflict killed 2,514 civilians and injured 12,142 in the country in 2025 — a 31% increase in civilian casualties over 2024, it said.

19.4%

The percentage of Ukrainian land occupied by Russia, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

Over the past year, Russia has gained just 0.79% of Ukraine’s territory in the grinding war of attrition, the Washington-based think tank said in calculations provided earlier this month to The Associated Press, underscoring the little progress Moscow’s forces have made despite huge costs in troops and armor.

Before Russia’s all-out invasion, it controlled nearly 7% of Ukraine, including Crimea and parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east, as Moscow-backed separatists fought the Ukrainian army, according to Ukrainian officials and Western analysts.

13%

The percentage drop in foreign military aid to Kyiv last year compared with the annual average between 2022 and 2024, according to Germany’s Kiel Institute, which tracks assistance to Kyiv.

U.S. President Donald Trump stopped sending American weapons paid for by the U.S. to Ukraine after he took office just over a year ago. European countries, striving to make up the difference, increased their military aid last year by 67% compared with the 2022-2024 period, the institute said in a report this month.

Foreign humanitarian and financial aid to Ukraine fell by 5% last year in comparison with the average in the previous three years, it said.

5.9 million

The number of Ukrainian civilians who have left their country.

Some 5.3 million of those people have found refuge in Europe, according to a report this month from the U.N. office in Ukraine.

Additionally, around 3.7 million Ukrainians forced out of their homes have moved elsewhere within the country, the U.N. said in December.

Ukraine’s prewar population was more than 40 million.

2,851

The number of Russian attacks that affected the provision of medical care in Ukraine, according to the World Health Organization. The figure covers the period from the full-scale invasion through Feb. 11.

The attacks include 2,347 strikes on health care facilities, as well as ones that damaged vehicles and the storage of medical supplies.

___

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

There were emotional scenes on the final day of the Games

The Winter Olympics ended in emotional scenes on Sunday as the United States men’s ice hockey team honoured their late teammate after winning their first gold medal in 46 years.

A thrilling final saw the US beat their neighbours Canada 2-1, with Jack Hughes winning the game in overtime after his side withstood relentless pressure from their opponents throughout the contest. The victory meant they topped the Olympic podium for the first time since the ‘Miracle on Ice’ at Lake Placid in 1980, and came after the women’s side also beat Canada 2-1 in their final to win gold.

But the historic win was also tinged with sadness as the team paid tribute to their former teammate Johnny Gaudreau, who would have likely been on the podium with them if not for his tragic death in August 2024.

The NHL winger and his brother Matthew were killed when they were hit by an alleged drunk driver while cycling together in New Jersey on the eve of their sister’s wedding. He was just 31 years old, while Matthew – also an ice hockey player – was only 29.

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Gaudreau would have been expected to be part of Team USA at the Milano-Cortina Games, with his family admitting representing his country at the Olympics was “one of his greatest dreams”.

Having been cruelly denied that opportunity, the team made sure to honour his memory throughout their Olympic campaign, with two jerseys bearing the brothers’ names hanging in the United States changing room since their first match in the competition.

Members of the Gaudreau family watched on as the United States sealed the gold medal on Sunday and there were more emotional scenes in the aftermath, as Johnny’s jersey was unfurled and carried around the ice by members of the team.

Gaudreau’s father was left in tears by the touching moment, while those watching inside the stadium and at home were also choked up as the late star’s young children – Noa and Johnny Jr – were escorted out onto the ice to join the team and hold their father’s jersey for the Team USA group photo.

Ahead of the Games, the Gaudreau family wrote on X: “As the Olympics are set to begin, our family is filled with both pride and heartache knowing how much this moment meant to John. Representing Team USA at the Olympics was one of his greatest dreams.

“In that final summer, John was training harder than ever, with his dad, pushing himself to be in the best shape of his life. He was determined to earn his spot on that Olympic roster. While it breaks our hearts that John won’t be there to live out that dream, we know he will be so very present with Team USA and all of his close friends competing throughout these games.

“Our family will be cheering for every player wearing the red, white, and blue, and celebrating so many friends representing teams around the world. As we work to ensure that John and Matty’s lives and legacies continue to be honored, moments like these remind us of the dreams they held and the impact they made on everyone who knew them.

“John loved this game and loved representing his country,” they added. “Though the Olympics will be bittersweet for our family, we find comfort knowing that in the hearts of his teammates, friends, and everyone who loved watching him play, John will be right there. Go Team USA. We know John and Matty are watching with pride. With love and gratitude, The Gaudreau Family.”

Coach Mike Sullivan described Gaudreau as “an inspiration” as he added: “He provides a lot of inspiration for all of us with how he lived his life, his dedication to the game, his family.

“He’s just a good person on the ice and off the ice, and I think he’s an inspiration to our players to this very day.”